Drae Bowles assists rape victim, is twice assaulted by teammates

and told by Head Coach Jones that he “betrayed the team”
190. Varsity football player Drae Bowles had picked up Plaintiff Doe IV (and her friends)
in his vehicle the night of her assault (early morning hours of Nov. 16th) when he noticed Jane Doe
IV was distraught in the parking lot.
191. Jane Doe IV was hyperventilating and crying near bushes in the parking lot.
192. Doe IV told Bowles in the car about the rape and, after discussion, she called 911
from his car to report the rape to the authorities. Bowles drove Jane Doe IV and her friends from
the Woodlands apartment/condominium complex to Volunteer Hall where she was taken by
ambulance to UT Medical Center where a rape/sexual exam was conducted.
193. Later that day (Sunday) Bowles was in the locker room when he was confronted by
player Curt Maggitt. Maggitt was a roommate of A.J. Johnson and Geraldo Orta. Maggitt had been
at the party the night before and had seen the girls (including Jane Doe IV) in the parking lot.
Maggitt, who had heard that rape had been reported, asked accusing questions to Bowles about the
events the night before. Bowles told Maggitt what had happened. Maggitt became violently upset,
said that Bowles was trying to “fuck up AJ” and suddenly punched Bowles in the mouth with great
force, causing Bowles’s lip to bleed. Bowles fought back and threw punches before the fight and
assault was broken up by teammates.
194. After this assault by Maggitt, on Sunday, Bowles called Coach Jones to relate what
had happened. Coach Jones stated to Bowles he was very disappointed in Bowles and that he had
“betrayed the team.” Bowles became extremely upset, broke down and cried.
195. Several hours after this phone call Jones called Bowles and apologized for calling
Bowles a traitor to the team.
196. The next day, Monday November 17th Bowles went to eat at Smokey’s Sports Grill in
the Anderson Training Center. He purposively sat by himself away from other teammates.
197. He was not alone for long.

Football players Geraldo Orta and Marlin Lane

aggressively came over to Bowles’ table to jump him as they shouted at him. Another fight was
about to break out but was stopped when football strength coach Brandon Myles physically
intervened to hold back Orta and Lane. Bowles got up to leave and as he walked out up the stairs

Orta and Lane followed him. Coach Myles again intervened and Orta and Lane stopped following
him.
198. The assault/altercation of Bowles at Smokey’s was witnessed by Jane Doe V and she
saw the confrontation broken up by UT football strength coach Brandon Myles.
199. In his interviews with police, UT football player Geraldo Orta stated that he felt
Bowles had betrayed the team and that where he (Orta) came from, people got shot for doing what
Bowles did. These facts are set forth in the Knoxville Police Department Incident Report.
200. During the interview Orta also admitted having confronted Drae Bowles in Smokey’s
Cafe (the athletic dining facility), getting “in his face” and saying “some threatening things.”
201. Orta further acknowledged that UT football player Curt Maggitt had also, in a
separate incident, confronted Drae Bowles in the team locker room and that Head Coach Butch
Jones had “instructed the team to stay away from Bowles and Bowles was given time away from the
team.”
202. Curt Maggitt admitted to police assaulting Drae Bowles. Maggitt also admitted the
fact that he had purchased alcohol for the party.
203. Jones took no action or discipline against Orta, Lane or Maggitt.
204. After these events, Bowles was a persona non grata and was shunned by other
teammates. At that point he moved forward with plans he had considered earlier to leave UT for a
smaller school. Upon information and belief UT then arranged for Bowles to transfer to UTC after
the assault incidents.
205. Bowles left the team and transferred to the University of Tennessee Chattanooga.
206. The actions and intent of UT football players against Drae Bowles were also
disclosed by Michael Williams in his November 26, 2014, interview with the police, when he stated
that his teammate, Geraldo Orta, had told Williams that the football team had “a hit” out on Drae
Bowles.
207. The mistreatment, assaults and shunning of Drae Bowles that was condoned by
Coach Jones caused Jane Does IV and V to fear for their own safety (recrimination, retaliation,
being shunned) and were a major causal factor in their decision to leave UT.
208. Drae Bowles had acted with the utmost kindness and strength of character toward

Jane Doe IV, her friends and Jane Doe V. For his kindness and courage he was beaten up, called a
traitor by his head football coach, and ostracized from the team by Coach Jones and other players.
Maggitt continued to be touted as a team leader and with Orta and Lane celebrated a bowl victory
by posing for cameras flashing rapist AJ Johnson’s number (45) with their hands and fingers.
Plaintiff Jane Doe V
209. Plaintiff Jane Doe V was a Title IX investigation witness subjected to retaliation and
the collective “victim blaming” that occurred in the wake of the assault of her teammate, roommate
and friend, Plaintiff Jane Doe IV. Having charged Johnson and Williams with sexual assault after
an investigation, UT is estopped from litigating or denying that a sexual assault occurred in the
cases of Jane Does IV and V.
210. Directly after the assault on Plaintiff Doe IV, Plaintiff Doe V was the recipient of
multiple communications from football players, including one of the alleged rapists, intended to
discourage both her and Jane Doe IV from reporting the rape of Jane Doe IV. These were
reported by Plaintiff Doe V on November 16 and 17 to the varsity coach and Mike Ward, who were
already aware of the players’ actions but made no assurances that they would be addressed by the
University.
211. The effects on Plaintiff Doe V were traumatic and worsened by UT’s repeated
failures to cure the environment and effectively implement interim or remedial measures.
212. In addition to being contacted after UT had notice of the assault and in addition to
seeing one of the attackers (Mike Williams) in the academic center for athletes (after being
expressly assured neither Williams or Johnson would be allowed in the athletic facilities), Plaintiff
Doe V witnessed the intimidation and physical retaliation by other UT football players against
another witness in the investigation, Drae Bowles when he was attacked by UT football players
Orta and Lane at the Smokey’s dining hall.
213. As a direct result of witnessing the attack on Drae Bowles, and with knowledge of a
second assault on Bowles, Jane Doe V was fearful of personal recrimination for her participation in
the Title IX investigation of Jane Doe IV.
214. Plaintiff Doe V reported this directly to UT administrators and, further, reported
that the attack on Bowles had been witnessed by members of the coaching staff.